Srinagar, Oct 10 : Waqf Board Chairperson Dr Syed Darakhshan Andrabi on Saturday said religious leaders in Jammu and Kashmir must take the lead in the fight against drug abuse, describing Imams and Khateebs as the true communicators of society whose words carry the trust of the people.
Chairing a meeting of Maulanas, Muftis, Imams and Khateebs at the Waqf Central Office in Sonwar, Dr Andrabi said the Board’s four-year-old anti-drug campaign now needed to be intensified, with religious scholars at the forefront of awareness and counselling efforts.
She said the Waqf Board began this campaign four years ago, and now we need to intensify it further. Imams and Khateebs are the true communicators of society, and people have faith in their words. We must strengthen this collective campaign against drugs and other social evils, she said, placing the onus of guiding the young squarely on the clergy.
She said character-building and personality refinement of the youth must remain the central focus of Imams and Khateebs, and asked them to use Friday sermons, religious gatherings and community outreach programmes to educate people about the consequences of drug abuse. Religious institutions and preachers, she added, have an important role in promoting moral values, strengthening social consciousness and steering young people towards responsible lives.
Dr Darakshan Andrabi also urged religious leaders to encourage families and local communities to actively participate in preventing addiction and supporting vulnerable youth, and said the campaign should move beyond awareness programmes to translate into counselling of young people and strengthening of family values.
